We’ve had quite a few new faces join the team at JXTA, and some of our staff members have shifted roles. Read on for recent updates to the #JXTASquad!

NEW FACES:

Takara Henegar

Role:

Development Manager

Started at JXTA:

March 2019

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

We have dope programming, events, projects, etc. that will take place during our 25th anniversary in 2020. I can’t wait to meet and thank JXTA’s longtime participants, neighbors, and supporters and include them in the 25th anniversary festivities, too. Lastly, JXTA’s capacity is growing and I can’t wait to see how our resources grow, too! JXTA has been doing amazing things on a smaller budget, but it is time for our financial resources to be on pace with that amazing work. I am excited to collaborate with the entire team to engage new and ongoing supporters in that conversation.

Abdul-Hafeez Nakumbe

Role:

Outreach and Engagement Coordinator

Started at JXTA:

September 2018

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

I am excited to continue working on programming strategies over the next year. I’m working on adjusting recruitment strategies to reach recruitment goals (50% Northside youth), as well as refining Pathways to College and Careers (PaCC) curriculum and strengthening partner relationships. I’m also excited to buy more JXTA gear and product!

Greta Kotz

Role:

Graphic Design Lab Lead

Started at JXTA:

May 2018

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

JXTA has developed so much flexibility in what we can do within our lab programs and graphic design projects. I’m so excited to share that with our apprentices and see what they create!

Mason Lambert

Role:

Buildings and Grounds Manager

Started at JXTA:

March 2019

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

This will be my first year at JXTA, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the new apprentices develop in our programming. I’ve already seen how they evolve in the VALT program, and you can see how their confidence grows, so I’m excited to see what happens during a year in our program.

Robbie Seltzer

Role:

Environmental Design Lab Lead

Started at JXTA:

January 2019

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

I am most excited to collaborate across the JXTA labs. I’ve never been in a work or school setting where there are so many different talents under one roof. And that means we can make things that aren’t possible elsewhere. As Alex said the other day, when Enviro was helping Textile build a 24-foot-long fabric-printing table, “JXTA is unstoppable.”

Gabby Coll

Role:

Communications Manager

Started at JXTA:

May 2018

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

I want to keep thinking big and planning for the future of JXTA. There are so many opportunities for engagement, expansion, and positive growth in this next year and beyond.

Alex Smith

Role:

Textiles & Screen Printing Lab Lead

Started at JXTA:

May 2018

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

I’m most excited to bring the JXTA clothing line into the world, and to keep furthering our art.

NEW ROLES:

Kristen Murray

Role:

Director of Programs

Started at JXTA:

2013

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

I’m excited to dream about and plan for the future of JXTA’s campus with apprentices, staff and community members.

Adrienne Doyle

Role:

Development Associate & Tactical Urbanism Lab Lead

Started at JXTA:

2015 (JXTA alum)

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

I’m excited to celebrate our 25th year of programming in 2020 with the artists, apprentices, and community members that make JXTA work.

Jared Hanks

Role:

Head of Business Development

Started at JXTA:

2014

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

I’m most excited for all the cool projects and collaborations that we’ll be a part of in this upcoming year!

Patricio De Lara

Role:

Graphic Design Lab Assistant & Communications Assistant

Started at JXTA:

Summer 2017 (JXTA Alum)

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

All of us at JXTA are in a mutual space of creative expression, and i’m excited to see what our collective imagination can do to push the envelope, tell meaningful stories, and create a passionate community.

Jahliah Holloman

Role:

Outreach and Engagement Assistant

Started at JXTA:

Summer 2012 (JXTA Alum)

What are you most excited for in the coming year at JXTA?

I am excited to see how the campus physically changes and how this will affect our capacity for creation within and around JXTA. I’m also excited to see more time-lapse videos of the Art created at JXTA, like the restoration of the Liberation Wall on the main building.

Every year, PaCC (Pathways to College and Careers), our in-house personal and professional development program for youth apprentices, hosts a celebration of apprentices graduating from high school or college. This year, our celebration took place on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, and we congratulated 13 graduates from across the labs.

Below are a few words of wisdom and reflection from a panel of our graduates.

Name: ElijahLab: GraphicsGraduating from: Highland Park High SchoolWhat are your next plans? I’m going to St. Paul College to get my generals and then saving up to transfer to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.What are your three keys to success? Be loud, be proud, be bold. I didn’t change my high school by being quiet. I asked why there was a Prom King and Queen; I wanted to be Queen. And you know what, I won it! I won Prom Queen.

Name: LiliLab: GraphicsGraduating from: FAIR High SchoolWhat are your next plans? Northland College in Ashland, WI, where I’ll be studying Environmental Sciences and keeping my focus broad to get a better idea of what I want from college in order to be the most productive and find a sense of self-fulfillment.What are your three keys to success? You’re acting like I’ve succeeded…ha! I mean, we’re all still working, and so am I. I feel like maybe that’s a key to success; don’t expect to be able to figure everything out and finish, because that’s not what life is about. You’re always going through transitions, always changing, always learning new things. Be nice to everyone in general, because you don’t know what they’re going through.

During the PaCC graduation celebration, apprentices who went on the New York City research trip last month presented about their experiences.

Name: RashineaLab: EnviroGraduating from: Hopkins High SchoolWhat are your next plans? I’m going to St. Thomas in St. Paul. I’m interested in going into Social Work for kids. When you’re a kid, life can be really hard. Everything in my experience, that I’ve been through, I want to put into them and give them advice.What are your three keys to success? For high school, I’m going to say: Not giving up. People are always going to try to put their negativity on you. There’s always someone that’s going to be hating on you. Even my teacher at one point made me feel that I wasn’t smart enough to be in an AP class, but I passed that AP class. Just keep it focused, don’t give up, and work hard. Follow through what you want to do. I graduated early!

Name: GeorgeLab: GraphicsGraduating from: Roosevelt High SchoolWhat are your next plans? University of Minnesota, Duluth, College of Biological Sciences (Pre Med) and hopefully transferring to the Twin Cities after that.What are your three keys to success? My 3 keys to success come from a place of regret because a lot of the time I wish I had thought through some of my choices. Three things I made mistakes in and want to work on are: 1. Procrastination. It only sets you up for failure. If you know you have the time to do it, make sure you get your initiative to get it done. 2. Have a drive: make short-term and long-term goals. Set those things up and make sure you reach those checkpoints to keep your peace of mind. This helps clarify your goals for moving forward in life. 3. Time management. I’m really bad at this, but it’s super important for everyday general things.

At the end of each PaCC session, apprentices fill out an evaluation form and set goals for the next year.

Name: EgyptLab: GraphicsGraduating from: Brooklyn Center High SchoolWhat are your next plans? Moorhead State University, studying 3D animation. I want to work for a video game production studio. My big goal is to be an art director at a video game production studio.What are your three keys to success? Just keep pushing forward and make goals for yourself. Second, be careful of the folks you associate with. A lot of times my friends would bring me down and it wasn’t good. They change you in a way and you forget who you are, and you shouldn’t forget who you are. And the third tool I’ve learned is bullshitting…I have ADD and my mind keeps running and running and I forget a lot or get distracted. I don’t mean totally bullshit, but get the information you need to in order to fake it until you make it and it really helps to make it through.

CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES! 🎉 🎓

JXTA is excited to announce the grand opening event for a new skate-able art plaza on the JXTA campus on Saturday, June 15, 2019. Join us for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting before heading to Juneteenth activities at Bethune park from 11:00AM to 6:00PM.

JXTA OPEN GALLERY HOURS

JXTA Contemporary Lab will be open for visitors to meet youth artists and peruse artwork for sale. Emerson Gallery will be open for visitors to see current exhibit ‘Live from New York’ by Bronx-based graffiti artists Tats Cru.
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Open hours: 10:00AM–1:00PM
Location: 1108 West Broadway Avenue & 2007 Emerson Avenue North

ABOUT THE PLAZA:

Planning for the installation of the new plaza began almost two years ago, in partnership with City of Skate (CoS), the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition (WBC), and the City of Minneapolis. Teaching designers and youth apprentices in JXTA’s Environmental Design Lab designed the plaza with the CoS community, and with design support from UMN’s Department of Landscape Architecture. More than 170 people made gifts in support of our new city amenity, and an Action Grant from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization funded the installation and maintenance of 3 rain gardens to capture and treat stormwater on the site.

Construction began in April 2019, and we are now ready to open this space to our community because we know that youth and families in North Minneapolis and everywhere want and need more public space designed with youth and community in mind. The plaza is wheels-friendly and flexible. Beginning in June 2019, the plaza will be open for multi-use, as well as activation during FLOW, Open Streets, and other community events, art pop-ups, and youth-focused skate programming (hosted by CoS on Saturday mornings). The partners hope the space will support youth, artists, and community members to gather around creativity, innovation, health, and culture.

After tearing down an old building on our campus on the corner of West Broadway Avenue and Emerson Avenue North in 2017, in May 2018 we announced the launch of a momentous capital campaign to raise $14 million for a new, state-of-the-art building on the same lot. The skate-able art plaza will serve as a means to activate this space while we raise these funds and shape the future of our campus. We are also excited to celebrate the brand-new mural by Bronx-based aerosol artists Tats Cru, now on view behind the skate-able art plaza. The 840’ ft. mural, made possible in part by a donation from Wet Paint and a host of individual donations, drew inspiration from community input, and was created during Tats Cru’s recent residency activities between April 26 and May 4, 2019.

Tats Cru in front of the recently-completed mural. Photo by Justin Sengly.

The skate-able art plaza was made possible by the backers of our Kickstarter campaign, a host of other individual donors, an Action Grant from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, a partnership with the City of Minneapolis Government, and the generous support of the Superbowl Host Committee, NEA Our Town, and Artplace.

On Friday, May 3, we hosted our third annual Move the Crowd fundraiser on the JXTA campus. It’s hard to believe that this is the third time we’ve completely transformed our space and opened our doors for our biggest party of the year, but this turned out to be our best yet.

Let’s Keep it Up

Move the Crowd is our chance to show off everything we can do, and we love seeing our friends, partners, and donors here to experience it all with us.

If you weren’t able to make it, you can still make a donation today by visiting our donation portal, by mail (addressed to: Juxtaposition Arts, 2007 Emerson Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411) or by contacting us at info [at] juxtaposition [dot] org or 612.588.1148.

Want to see JXTA in action? Join us for one of our monthly tours on the first Wednesday of every month. Just email takara [dot] henegar [at] juxtaposition [dot] org to secure your spot.

Your support matters, and it allows us to continue providing excellent art education, employment, and personal development for young people on the Northside and beyond.

With gratitude,
The JXTA Team

Thank you to our Move the Crowd 2019 Sponsors:

Bronx-based graffiti artists Tats Cru (Bio, Nicer, BG183) just finished a week-long residency as our Spring invited Artist in Residence. They completed an 840 square foot (60’ x 14’) mural to serve as a backdrop for the forthcoming skate-able art plaza on the JXTA campus, made possible in part by a generous gift from Wet Paint. In addition to completing this mural, Tats Cru also hosted their first Minneapolis gallery exhibition of their work: Live from New York. The exhibit will be on view in the 2007 Emerson Gallery from May 3–June 29, 2019.

From left to right: Bio, Nicer, BG183 of Tats Cru. Photo by Martha Cooper.

Gallery Exhibit

Live from New York features new original paintings from Bio, BG183, and Nicer. Their work makes use of “complex and intricate wild styles” as well as a dramatic palette of color. As both individuals and a collective, Tats Cru has shown their work nationally and internationally including with the Smithsonian Institution, The Bronx Museum, and The BOX Gallery Guangzhou. They have created ad campaigns for McDonalds, Coca Cola and MTV and they have also given lectures about their work across a range of informal and academic institutions. We are excited to show work that intersects with JXTA’s origins and the organization’s ongoing mission to engage with contemporary artists working across a broad spectrum of practices and places.

Nice Day in the Neighborhood by Bio183. Spray paint and paint marker on canvas.

Bio183 with visitors during the Live from New York opening reception on May 4, 2019.

A New Mural

During their residency from April 26—May 6, Tats Cru completed a mural on the Juxtaposition Arts campus to serve as a backdrop for our forthcoming skate-able art plaza on the corner of Emerson and Broadway. Executed in collaboration with our partners City of Skate, the skate-able art plaza will be open to the public in the summer of 2019. The mural’s design was inspired by community input; throughout the last several months, we asked folks in JXTA’s neighborhood to nominate heroes and sheroes they’d like to see depicted in the mural. A brand-new custom-designed and community-focused mural will ensure the space is a fresh, vibrant, and unique space for visitors.

We’re stoked to welcome back Bronx-based graffiti artists Tats Cru (Bio, Nicer, BG183) to Minneapolis as our Spring invited Artist in Residence from April 26–May 4, 2019. During their residency, Tats Cru will complete an 840 square foot (60’ x 14’) mural to serve as a backdrop for the forthcoming skate-able art plaza on the JXTA campus, made possible in part by a generous gift from Wet Paint. In addition to completing this mural, Tats Cru will also host the first Minneapolis gallery exhibition of their work. Their exhibition, Live from New York, will be on view in the 2007 Emerson Gallery from May 3–June 29, 2019. The exhibition will open on Friday, May 3, as part of our third annual Move the Crowd Fundraiser (tickets still available here!).

Tats Cru Return to Minneapolis

This is Tats Cru’s first visit to Minneapolis since a local residency in 2011. During that visit, they completed two murals around the Juxtaposition Arts campus. A mural at the JXTA campus gateway proclaims “Welcome to North Minneapolis” on the exterior Western-facing wall of 1808 Emerson Avenue North (where JXTA’s Textiles & Screen Printing, Environmental Design, and Graphic Design Labs are currently housed). Another mural depicting JXTA’s 2018 Bruner Loeb Forum conference “Putting Creativity to Work” decorated the exterior Eastern-facing wall of JXTA’s now-demolished building on the corner of Emerson Avenue North and West Broadway Avenue.

“Welcome to North Minneapolis” by Tats Cru, 2011.

“Putting Creativity to Work” by Tats Cru, 2011.

Now, Tats Cru will return to Minneapolis to complete another mural on the Juxtaposition Arts campus. The JXTA team is in the process of preparing the corner of Emerson and Broadway for a semi-permanent skate-able art plaza that will be open to the public in the summer of 2019, a project executed in collaboration with our partners City of Skate. The mural’s design will be inspired by community input; throughout the last several months, we’ve asked folks in JXTA’s neighborhood to nominate heroes and sheroes they’d like to see depicted in the mural. A brand-new custom-designed and community-focused mural will ensure the space is a fresh, vibrant, and unique space for visitors. Plus, the JXTA campus will be open to the public so visitors can have a chance to see Tats Cru’s mural painting process during their residency on April 29th & 30th (pending weather conditions).

The skate-able plaza and mural will activate the lot where JXTA’s programs were previously housed and hold the space while together with our community we raise $14 million for a state-of-the-art facility that will ensure access to our work for generations to come.

Tats Cru will create a custom mural for this blank wall which will serve as a backdrop for our forth-coming skate-able art plaza. Click here to watch our progress via an Earthcam from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization.

Work on the forthcoming skate-able art plaza began on April 15, 2019!

Gallery Exhibit

The gallery exhibit, Live from New York, will be on view May 3–June 29, 2019 and features new original paintings from Bio, BG183, and Nicer. Their work makes use of “complex and intricate wild styles” as well as a dramatic palette of color. As both individuals and a collective, Tats Cru has shown their work nationally and internationally including with the Smithsonian Institution, The Bronx Museum, and The BOX Gallery Guangzhou. They have created ad campaigns for McDonalds, Coca Cola and MTV and they have also given lectures about their work across a range of informal and academic institutions. We are excited to show work that intersects with JXTA’s origins and the organization’s ongoing mission to engage with contemporary artists working across a broad spectrum of practices and places.

TATS CRU MURAL PAINTING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Monday, April 29, 2019 Time TBA and date subject to change pending weather conditions
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 Time TBA and date subject to change pending weather conditions
Corner of Emerson Avenue North and West Broadway Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55411

From left to right: Bio, Nicer, BG183 of Tats Cru. Photo: Martha Cooper.

Thank you to our partners for helping make these events and residency possible:

The North Commons facility renovation included a custom mural designed and painted by JXTA resident artist Alex Smith. Photo by Justin Sengly.

JXTA’s involvement included various projects produced in a wide range of mediums and formats. Alex Smith, resident muralist and Free Wall and Textiles & Screen Printing Lab Lead, created a full-scale mural at the newly-renovated North Commons recreational facility; Graphic Design Lab designed informational and marketing materials for visitors, a custom vinyl mural for the North Commons ancillary space, and custom backboards for the Final Four teams; and JXTA Chief Cultural Producer, Roger Cummings, put the finishing touches in graffitti on the backboards.

North Commons Renovations

The Final Four “Legacy Project” is a community investment by the Final Four and its partners in an effort to positively impact Final Four host cities. This year, Dove Men Plus Care and Target Unilever invested a six-figure donation in upgrades and improvements to the North Commons recreational facility in North Minneapolis. Kickoff ancillary events were held at North Commons to unveil the makeover on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, and community members including Minneapolis Parks Superintendent Al Bangoura, Minneapolis Final Four Local Organizing Committee (MLOC) CEO Kate Mortenson, ex-NBA player and Minneapolis native Devean George, MLOC Project Manager Ivan Cardona, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey praised the positive impact of the project for the Northside. “North Minneapolis is deserving of a primo facility. North Minneapolis is deserving of excellence,” said Mayor Frey of the facility’s restoration.

The North Minneapolis community celebrated the North Commons renovation unveiling with media and partners on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. The renovation included a custom mural created by JXTA resident artist Alex Smith.

JXTA resident artist Alex Smith works on the mural in the North Commons gymnasium.

As part of these renovations, JXTA resident artist and Free Wall and Textiles & Screen Printing teaching artist Alex Smith produced a full-scale mural painting to decorate the newly renovated gym area. Inspired by basketball iconography and by the youth who will eventually use it, the mural serves as the perfect backdrop for the gymnasium’s basketball court. In addition to this large-scale mural, Graphic Design Lab apprentices Patricio De Lara (20) and DJ Bryant (19) and Graphic Design teaching artist Greta Kotz designed a vinyl mural to decorate an ancillary recreational space. Says Kotz: “We wanted to create an energetic mural that depicts both education and creativity. With help from JXTA apprentices DJ Bryant and Patricio De Lara, we decided on some playful typefaces, color palettes, and an inspirational quote from Albert Einstein: ‘Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.’”

The North Commons facility renovation included a vinyl mural designed by apprentices in Graphic Design Lab. Photo by Justin Sengly.

North Commons is and has been an integral facility in the North Minneapolis Community; an investment of this scale demonstrates the commitment to community assets in this area. We are proud to have contributed to this full-scale renovation.

Minneapolis Local Organizing Committee

JXTA has worked with MLOC, the organization in charge of planning this massive event, since their bid for hosting the Final Four in Minneapolis in 2014. JXTA provided creative support in this bid, installed a basketball-themed sculpture at MLOC headquarters, and this year got involved in Final Four event planning. Graphic Design Lab designed and facilitated the production of marketing materials for VIP visitors including four brochure designs, an album cover, an album insert, four notecard designs, a flyer, five hangtags, a tote bag, a cookie canister design, and nearly 100 individual icons.

Avahnii Lewis (17), an apprentice in Graphic Design, was the lead on this project:

“Each of us working on the initial concepts for the brochures and other materials had a unique idea that varied in style, color, and feel. My concept is very focused on simple illustration and bright color palettes, making the brochures easy to understand yet also vibrant and eye-catching. The design includes icons that I created which relate to the theme of the day – basketball – and Minneapolis. I was excited when MLOC selected my designs, as all the concepts submitted by my peers were strong. After that, the project moved quickly and I led a team of other designers in lab to produce a wide assortment of materials. I’ll be starting college applications soon and I can’t wait to add this huge project to my portfolio.”

One of the marketing brochures Avahnii created for the Local Organizing Committee centered around “food.”

Participating in an event of this scale allowed us to flex our creative muscles and work closely with folks from various organizations to make it a reality. JXTA Graphic Design Lab worked closely with the Local Organizing Committee to make sure materials and experiences created were unique and special. Said MLOC CEO Kate Mortenson: “From the beginning, JXTA has supported the Minneapolis Local Organizing Committee in laying out an artistic vision for the dense, dynamic and diverse experience Minneapolis has to offer visitors to our region. The leadership and mentorship at JXTA allowed us to access quality artistic vision and execution for the many elements of our program.”

In addition to creating marketing materials for visitors, JXTA was also commissioned to create a set of custom-designed and painted backboards which were unveiled at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Thursday, April 4, 2019. Inspired by the design for the installation at MLOC headquarters, the backboards were designed by Graphic Design Lab, and the finishing touches were hand-painted by JXTA Chief Cultural Producer Roger Cummings. The backboards were unveiled and presented to the Final Four teams at the SALUTE fan ceremony on April 4 to kick off the weekend’s activities.

JXTA attended the “SALUTE” kickoff celebration of the Final Four teams on Thursday, April 2, 2019. Each team received a custom JXTA-designed backboard with their team name and custom painting by JXTA co-founder and Chief Cultural Producer Roger Cummings.

The Virginia Cavaliers’ custom-designed backboard.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders’ custom-designed backboard.

The Michigan State Spartans’ custom-designed backboard.

The Auburn Tigers’ custom-designed backboard.

JXTA’s involvement in these projects demonstrates the commitment from local and national organizations to include and support local organizations in executing large-scale events like the Final Four. We’re proud to have been selected to contribute to this weekend of activities and to showcase the talent fostered in our vibrant Twin Cities.

Take home your very own piece of JXTA Final Four swag! Pick up a limited-edition t-shirt designed and printed by JXTA apprentices at the Chameleon pop-up shops in Gaviidae Common. Plus, you could win a restaurant gift card! Learn how at MSP Mag.

Exhibition Reception:

Sponsored by Artaxis, this venue-originated exhibition runs in conjunction with NCECA 2019. The exhibition will be on view from March 26—March 30.

Curated by Louisa Vincent, Gallery Director, Veronique Wantz Gallery; Samuel Johnson, Artaxis Board Member and Professor of Art and Department Chair at College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University, NCECA Member; and Juliane Shibata, Artaxis member.

About the Exhibit:

Step into this lively and colorful Utopia where class, race, sexuality, age, abilities, belief systems and gender, dance in all their beauty and complexities to a rhythmic beat of respect, tolerance and understanding.

Intermingled, intertwined, interfacing. In an age where we seek ideological purity, You Am I examines how each of these facets of our identity can coexist in analogous ambiguity. How are these multiplicities embraced? Is there a singular thread that weaves across the identity landscape: binding, repairing? Is there a rise of fantastical individualism? Or does identity melt into a pool of punctuated homogeny? As the dance progresses, do we forget to notice? Our diversity becomes our unity as we sway forward to the beat of this neoteric revolution.

Designers in our Graphics Lab recently completed a set of custom-designed murals for the newly opened location of Rojo Mexican Grill in Downtown Minneapolis. Graphic Design senior apprentice Patricio De Lara designed two murals inspired by Mexican history and iconography. The first mural, the larger of the two and printed on vinyl, is installed in the main dining area of the restaurant (check out the installation process above). De Lara digitally designed the second mural and hand-painted it in the staircase leading up to the restaurant’s second floor with help from Graphics Lab Lead Greta Kotz.

De Lara, Mexican-born himself, pulled inspiration from a number of sources to create the pair of complementary decorative pieces:

“Creating these two murals for Rojo Mexican Grill was extremely fulfilling, both creatively and culturally. I was born in Mexico, and I thoroughly enjoyed the research phase to produce this work in which I took into consideration the client’s needs while also paying homage to the rich culture that my home nation has to offer. This is also the first mural I have painted by hand; I was able to get my hands dirty and learn to replicate something that I created into a large-scale format. This offered lessons that I will carry in my work moving forward.”

Both murals are on view now in the newly-opened Rojo Mexican Grill at 921 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402.